


Flower Girls

by honestgrins



Series: Until the Bitter End [13]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 00:17:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10058585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: Prompts from Anonymous and sterolineotp6: anonymous prompt of Stefan & Caroline along with Lizzie and Josie experiencing family life pre wedding and "I was wondering if u could do a fanfic of the wedding. Like what do you think would happen during the actual wedding"





	

"Stefan!"

Smiling at the tiny voices, Stefan called out, "In the kitchen!" He finished up with the grilled cheese sandwiches he had been frying for lunch, slicing them down the middle as Josie and Lizzie burst in. Too busy wiping his hands clean with a dishtowel, he laughed when they each just wrapped themselves around one of his legs for a welcome hug. He crouched down to their level after easing himself free of their hold. "I missed you guys."

"We missed you, too," Lizzie said as they both attacked him with another hug.

Josie nodded against his neck. "Mommy said we get to spend all day and night in our palace," she whispered.

"Lunch first," Caroline said from the doorway where she had been watching their reunion. Striding forward, she leaned down to lay a kiss to Stefan's cheek. "I'm hungry, and something smells good."

Standing, Stefan handed her the plate heaped with grilled cheese sandwiches. "The soup should be ready, too," he said as he stirred the big pot on the stove.

"Tomato?" Josie asked excitedly, bouncing on her toes.

"From scratch," Stefan confirmed with a nod.

"Go wash your hands, girls," Caroline ordered. She smiled as Stefan began to spoon the thick, red soup into bowls. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pressed her lips to the back of his shoulder. "I think I like this 'house spouse' thing," she teased. "Hot lunch, made from scratch. A girl could get used to this."

Stefan turned to face her, running his hands up to cup her cheeks. "I hope so." He pecked her lips, only to lean in for a deeper kiss. "After all, these good looks are bound to go sometime, and I want you to keep me around."

Narrowing her eyes, Caroline frowned at the comment. "Not funny," she muttered with a pout.

They had only just decided to push up the wedding the night before, and Caroline still seemed reticent to the topic of his humanity possibly changing her mind about their relationship. All morning, she had been on the phone with vendors and hurriedly planning for a Saturday ceremony in the town square. Stefan wanted to give her more time to process, but Damon's plan to draw out Katherine had somehow taken precedence.

Luckily, he was marrying Caroline Forbes. She wasn't second guessing their future, and Stefan was happy to follow suit. He was allowed a little self-deprecating humor, though.

Stefan shrugged. "A little funny."

She nudged his arm playfully as she pulled away. "I called the florist on the way to the Armory," she said, taking the bowls of soup to the table. "The flowers were the last item on my checklist, so we're all set."

"Set for what?"

They both turned to see Josie and Lizzie watching them. Caroline beckoned for them to sit, but they stood their ground with arms crossed defiantly.

"Please come and sit at the table," Caroline said, her voice firm. She soon softened it, though, with a secret smile. "Then we'll tell you all about our wedding over lunch."

Cheering, the girls ran over to hug their mom.

"We get to wear our dresses?" Josie asked.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "Finally!"

As they all sat to eat, Stefan cleared his throat. "I know we talked about what flower girls do," he said, remembering the conversation he and Caroline had with them not long after the first proposal. With the threat Katherine posed, however, Caroline almost didn't want the girls to come. It was only Ric's point that the whole group could protect them better at the wedding than just him alone at the Armory that she agreed to let the girls join in. Her agreement came with the strict caveat they be prepared for something bad to happen. "But this time, things are going to be a little different. Someone we haven't seen in a long time might be coming."

"Who?" Lizzie asked.

"Her name is Katherine," Caroline explained. "She's not very nice to me, and she might be mean to you because of it. So, Daddy's going to be walking you two down the aisle, then you're going to stand next to Uncle Damon the whole time. I also want you to stay close to me and to Aunt Bonnie if you can. Does that sound okay to you?"

Josie chewed her mouth full of grilled cheese before answering, "Yes, Mommy."

Lizzie nodded in agreement. "But can we still dance and eat cake after?"

"Of course," Stefan promised. "We just need you to stay together and with one of the adults. Probably your dad, your mom, Uncle Damon or Aunt Bonnie."

"What about you?" Josie asked, noting the obvious omission.

Caroline squeezed his knee, smiling sadly at his floored expression. They hadn't brought up Stefan's new human status, just because the girls didn't know much about Caroline's vampirism. "He'll be with me, silly," she joked instead. "Now, I have a hair appointment scheduled for us and Aunt Bonnie, bright and early Saturday. Do you two know what you want to do with your hair?"

Watching the girls animatedly answer, Stefan felt the contentment settle in his chest. Even though he knew Caroline worried he would resent giving up the chance to have his own family, he was sure that this family of his was as perfect as it could be - and he wouldn't let Katherine take it away from him.

* * *

It was going too well.

Stefan kept checking his watch, adjusting his sleeves, or scratching his ear as he waited for the bridal march to begin. Bonnie and the girls had already made their way down the aisle, and he could hear them whispering amongst themselves even with his human ears.

The guests had been patiently watching the procession, with no one acting out of the ordinary.

Again, Stefan felt a gloomy feeling of dread; it was going too well.

The dark cloud dissipated with a pause in the string quartet's music, only for a lone violin to cue the march. His eyes automatically locked on the Founder's Hall door, where Caroline stood resplendently in a white gown just for him. The world might have stopped on its axis, or maybe it was just his heart - he would have to ask Damon later if he heard anything weird in its beat.

Caroline was beautiful, smiling and looking straight at him; he was going to marry her.

She glided toward him, the train of her dress curling around her feet as she came to a stop next to him at the altar. "Hi," she whispered, clutching the bouquet to her.

Sneaking his hand up, Stefan eased one of hers from its grip to bring her wrist to his lips. "Hi," he whispered back.

With a blush riding high in her cheeks, Caroline smiled even more brightly as she twined her fingers with his. "Let's do this."

The girls crowded her skirt as Damon sped through the ceremony. Everyone had agreed not to waste too much time, especially with Stefan and Caroline's back facing the audience. It's not like Stefan heard many of the words anyway; Caroline had taken to stroking her thumb against the pulse of his wrist, and the sensation was distracting.

Still, he grinned when Lizzie snuck between them to wrap an arm around his leg as she watched Damon speak. He saw Josie in similar position, only holding her mother's crooked arm. Bonnie gently pulled them away when it was time for the vows.

Passing off her bouquet, Caroline eagerly took Stefan's hands in hers. "You have been my crush, my friend, my mentor, and my love. I want to be your partner, your confidante, your biggest supporter, and your best friend. More than all of those, I cannot wait to be your wife." She squeezed their grip, taking care to mind her strength. "I will always love you."

Stefan smiled, almost in awe of her simple vows. Coughing, he glanced down bashfully. "You're the most confident, loving, demanding, supportive person I've ever met, and I will never understand how I'm lucky enough to call you mine. And I hope I never have to live in a world where that isn't true, because my life is so much better with you in it. I've made mistakes, so many." He reached up to swipe away a tear that had fallen down her cheek. "You are the best part of me. I promise to earn the honor of being your husband each and every day."

As he slid the ring on her finger, Stefan felt affection wash over him. When she did the same for him, though, it was like coming home - where he belonged.

And like the world knew they needed this moment, Damon pronounced them husband and wife without trouble. She kept kissing him, unable to stop smiling until they were just laughing in each other's faces.

When it came time to walk back up the aisle, their hands tangled together while their other hand was claimed by either Josie or Lizzie.

They took their flower girl duties very seriously.


End file.
